Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Visits from St. Joseph Academy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana


This past month, we've had the pleasure of hosting three delegations from St. Joseph's Academy, a Catholic girl's school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  The school is affiliated with the Sisters of Saint Joseph, of which Sister Dianne Fanguy (who has accompanied us in Ciudad Sandino for over 16 years) is a member.  Sister Dianne is currently part of the national team of Cantera, and was guide for the delegations during their time here in Nicaragua.

Two of the groups from St. Joseph's focused on learning about the reality and history of Nicaragua, witnessing community-led efforts in Ciudad Sandino and other territories of Cantera, and having interchanges with members of the Youth Movement to learn from one another.  The girls used the opportunity to reflect on their lives in the U.S. and changes they can make to live more sustainably in the U.S. and work for a more peaceful and just world.

One of the groups was from the Technology Department, and brought donations of laptops, cameras, and technical equipment for use in training youth for their personal growth in new skills (and skills that can help them to find jobs in the future, or have greater access to educational tools), and for use in the Communication's Team's projects of community organizing and education.  The girls, several of whom are technical experts in computers, taught youth how to dismantle, fix, and reassemble laptops, helped research useful tools for this blog and social networking, among other things.  The youth were very excited to learn new skills, and look forward to learning more in the future!

We are very grateful for all of the groups' friendship, willingness to learn from our reality and share their hopes and dreams with us, and for their solidarity.  As several of the Youth Movement expressed, even though you are all far away, you are in our hearts and welcomed back any time!

Environment Week 2010

Fourth Annual Environmental March, 2010
For a Green, Clean, and Healthy Municipality!
Sunday, June 6th, we held the fourth annual Environmental March in Ciudad Sandino.  More than 300 people participated with the Youth Movement, including representatives from other community organizations, the local police and municipal government.  We encouraged people in the local community to conserve natural resources, to dispose of trash properly, and that it is up to everyone to protect the environment.
Public Demonstration for the Environment
Nicaragua with a Green Heart: Let's Recycle, Conserve, Plant, Care for and Protect the Environment! 
June 4th, we held a demonstration to promote environmental protection along with youth from San Judas, Jorge Demitrov, and Mateare (the other urban communities supported by Cantera).  More than 300 young people participated in the campaign to raise awareness of the need to build better habits of environmental conservation, held down town in Managua at the Rotunda de Metrocentro, a commercial center.
Community Environmental Clean-up Campaign 
May 29th, 50 members of the Youth Movement participated in an environmental clean-up campaign in Ciudad Sandino around the Cantera Center to demonstrate the necessity of citizens coming together to improve the community and protect public health and natural resources.